


Atelier Yuuri and the Mysterious Alchemist

by plisetskytrash



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime), アトリエ | Atelier & Related Fandoms
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alchemy, Alternate Universe - Alchemy, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Medicine, Memory Loss, Mystery, POV Katsuki Yuuri, Potions Accident, Spirit World, atelier series - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27539380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plisetskytrash/pseuds/plisetskytrash
Summary: A thousand years after what the Ancients called the apocalypse, civilization struggles to rebuild without the use of old sciences and the legendary machines. On the outskirts of Hadaikko, a young apothecary lives with a heart of gold, doing all he can to aid his town. But fate has bigger plans for him when he saves a strange young man dressed in even stranger clothes from drowning. The stranger has no memory and Yuuri vows to do whatever it takes to help him learn his past and to reclaim his identity. Yuuri is suddenly dragged along on the adventure of his life as he travels, seeing the world for the first time, and healing it as he attempts to find their only hope: the mysterious Alchemist Nikiforov.This is the tale of Atelier Yuuri and the Mysterious Alchemist.Based on the role-playing video games of the “Atelier Series” developed by Gust Corporation.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri & Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 14
Kudos: 17
Collections: Yuri!OnIce Nanowrimo 2020





	Atelier Yuuri and the Mysterious Alchemist

Yuuri smiled as he slid the medicine across the counter to a tired-looking Yuuko. “I made it different this time,” he said. “It should give them a little boost.”

“Oh, Yuuri, thank you so much,” she said as she continued to rock her babies back and forth in their handmade wicker basket which she had lovingly weaved to fit the pram her husband had made. They were curled together and sleeping peacefully after being up virtually all night.

Her newborn girls were a blessing, but at only 10 days old, Yuuko was struggling to adjust to motherhood. Especially going from no children to 3 girls. If she was honest, the birth hadn’t been very good either. If it hadn't been for having Yuuri in their tiny corner of the world, she was pretty sure things would have ended a lot differently. Having an experienced apothecary on the outskirts of the town was a gift from the ancestors. It had to be.

“It’s no problem, I simply added a little more Hawthorn roots this time, it should help with their strength, improve circulation, and aid their digestion; less wind means more sleep for you.” He grinned, and then reached under the counter. “Also, a gift for tired mothers, to help with stress, exhaustion, and to cope with your broken sleep.”

He could see how much she was struggling. Yuuri didn’t have any children, but he was popular in their town since they weren’t lucky enough to have a physician or any midwives, women traveled all over for his handmade ointments and potions. He had grown to understand what mothers needed.

Yuuko looked down at the little bottle in surprise. “I… I only have ten cole this week,” she said, feeling ashamed, “I’m not really in a position to be helping Takashi with the business yet, I--”

“No, no,” Yuuri interrupted her, alarmed at the worry all over his friend’s face. “No charge. It’s a gift. You must be resting now, as much as you can, not returning to help your husband. He will do fine without you. He will adjust.” It was true. A new mother had no place in the workplace, she was still healing from the birth, and with three babies, it would probably be a long time before she could help Takashi.

Yuuko reached for it, turning the tiny bottle around and looking at it in wonder. It looked expensive like something you would see advertised on a flyer, that some rich alchemists kept for only their special customers. “Yuuri, I shouldn’t, I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

Yuuri had such a kind nature, he hardly changed anything compared to the apothecaries in the city. She was pretty sure her childhood friend was out of pocket most of the time. He was a good man.

“I already had the ingredients in the hot spring,” he replied, “they needed picking anyway otherwise they would soon wither.” It was a lie, of course, he had traveled to the mountain yesterday to pick them fresh, he hadn’t quite perfected growing them here yet and the fresher the better. “Just a drop in some tea twice a day. It should help.”

Yuuko hesitated. She had a feeling that Yuuri wasn’t going to back down. She looked at him with her eyes full of tears as she placed the two coins on the counter. “What did the town ever do to deserve you?” she asked, feeling emotional. It was probably the hormones but she felt herself to be so grateful for Yuuri. They had known each other for years and he had always been kind to her.

Yuuri shrugged. “I have it here, so it would be selfish not to share,” he explained, “my parents taught me to share our wealth. It’s the only way for us to survive.”

A quiet fell over the two of them, the subject of the Katsuki’s was still a sore one. It had been five years since they had been spirited away, and though Yuuri hadn’t given up hope of finding them, most of the town believed them to be dead.

“They would have been proud of you, Yuuri,” she said, collecting her items and then putting them away into her cloth bag hanging from her shoulder. She gave him another smile and one of the babies grumbled. She put her fingers to her lips before she gave a wave and then left Yuuri alone with his thoughts.

He sighed. “They  _ are  _ proud of me,” he said to himself sadly before returning to his cauldron and checking on the healing balm he had simmering. It was one of his most popular remedies, it was good for killing germs and keeping things clean, helped cuts and scrapes, and a multitude of ailments that even Yuuri couldn’t completely name.

This had been a small onsen before his parents had disappeared, but Yuuri knew nothing of running a bathhouse. He had been trained by his mother at a young age on how to brew medicine. It was something that was passed down in their family and had been as far back as they could remember. It was only after his mother married his dad did she settle down here and stop traveling and delivering her medicine to each corner of the world. Yuuri had always wanted to follow in her footsteps, just as his sister Mari had, but now they were gone, things were different. Yuuri could not bear to leave - if there was any chance at all that he could help find them, that he could somehow bring them back, then he was going to do it.

Instead, Yuuri had turned the onsen into an apothecary’s dream. The warm spring water was perfect for growing herbs and plants, and by adjusting the climates in each room with the help of ancient magical plants and flowers, he had been able to manipulate what he could grow. Secretly, Yuuri wished that he could heal the world. There was so much illness everywhere and so many things that he was sure that his herbs and potions could help with. But he would never have the confidence to leave. He would be all by himself and he had to admit, he was not the best at defending himself...

Yuuri knew that the ointment was ready when it started to sparkle silver. He immediately extinguished the fire burning under his cauldron with some water he kept close by. He had learned over the years that it was better to do this than to have it explode - cleaning up the mess from that was not fun at all. He grabbed a tray of glass containers and then went about dividing it into small and large jars. He would deliver the smaller ones as samples to households in the town, it was his way to make sure that the people who were struggling didn’t suffer.

It wasn't just medicine samples Yuuri liked to give out either. He had been experimenting using his cauldron to cook and had been ecstatic to realize that he was able to make soups, stews, and even breads using the old ways. He wasn't quite sure how it worked, but it had the same principle as the medicine. He could figure out what to put in and then would write it all down, adjusting the recipe until he got it right. It meant he could fuse the food he made with his medicine. He'd created a vegetable stew that was packed full of vitamins and goodness. Eating just one bowl was enough to help with the vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition which plagued the small mountain town. It was like a slow-release medicine, topping up what the person was lacking over several days. Yuuri's aim was to figure out how to make larger batches that worked over longer stretches of time. It would go a long way in helping the people who struggled to find food. But he hadn't quite figured it out yet. He managed to make enough to hand out every 6 or 7 days or so, but it wasn't enough for everyone. Yuuri had to try harder…

Yuuri made as much as he could, trying to figure out who would appreciate what for the week for free, and then went about filling the orders he had received. Out of the four hot springs the family owned, Yuuri had divided the waters to represent water, earth, air, and fire. He brewed tonics for each of the elements to manipulate the earth. It meant he could grow vegetables and fruits that otherwise would not thrive. The town put in orders for the food he could provide and he delivered it weekly. 7 days was enough to grow an entirely new batch of vegetables, but it was a lot of work for one apothecary, especially as Yuuri wasn’t fully trained. He spent a lot of his time stumbling around and just trying to figure things out. Having an assistant wasn’t an option either. He could never afford to pay someone, he only collected what the town could provide, but Yuuri knew he was rich in other ways.

Yuuri looked towards the sun outside and tried to estimate how many hours to nightfall, he was sure he would have enough time to load the supplies and deliver them, then return home before nightfall. With that in mind, he grabbed two of his largest wicker baskets, set the sign of his shop to “working - please wait inside” and then made his way to the hot springs.

Most of the orders were vegetables this week, so he made his way over to the earth hot spring and began to check the plants. He picked the orders - potatoes, carrots and beans, radishes, turnips, and swedes. As he filled the basket, he realized that he wouldn’t be making much money this week.

_ But it doesn’t matter. What do I need it for anyway? _

His dreams of venturing out of this place were all in his head. As much as he wanted to leave and explore, Yuuri knew it was never going to happen. It was just the innocent dreams of a lonely young apothecary.

Once the orders were complete. He heaved the heavy baskets up and then went aside, looking for his faithful poodlebear, Victor, or Vichan as he affectionately referred to him. He had been a wonderful friend to Yuuri since he had rescued him. He'd found the poor thing injured in the nearby forest when he'd been searching for midnight herbs. He was little, small enough to fit into Yuuri's bag and to take him home to heal him. Something had tried to take a bite out of him and left the poor thing to die. He'd found the mother shortly after, already dead. Yuuri had said a prayer for her, thanking her for her life and got about retrieving what he could for his potions from her. Some fur, some of her claws and teeth. Her death would mean he could brew some very strong potions, so he was grateful to her and he promised to try his best to save her pupcub.

Vichan's injuries had been superficial, and though Yuuri had healed him and taken him back to his home in the forest, the pup always returned, pawing at Yuuri's door having followed his scent all the way back to him. Yuuri loved him, starting to take comfort in his company and had cared for him until he was too large to sleep in the house. It was hard to believe that the tiny thing he had rescued was now the towering creature that couldn't fit through his front door any longer.

He'd named him Victor in honor of his hero, an alchemist called Victor Nikiforov. He was well known in the cities and Yuuri had managed to get hold of one of his books from his sister, Mari. She had said she had met him on her travels, but Yuuri was sure that she was just teasing him. He'd seen a painting of him in an alchemy shop as a child and he remembered thinking he was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen with beautiful long flowing hair that made him look like something magical. Though, as an alchemist, Yuuri guessed he was. Yuuri had devoured that book from page to page and it was now worn with his love for it. He didn’t understand all the alchemy terms inside, nor did he understand the formulas the alchemist had shared, but he had practically memorized it out of appreciation for the man. He was an amazing humanitarian and Yuuri dreamed of being just a fraction as wondrous as him one day.

Vichan was the best, and Yuuri liked to remind him that he could leave any time, but the silly thing seemed to love Yuuri too. The only thing about Vichan was that the poor thing didn’t realize how large he was and acted more like he was a pupcub still instead of the almost four rotations that he was.   
  


It was easy to find him. He was snoozing in the sun, lying on his back and his huge paws resting in the air, taking up almost all the shade from the apple tree. Yuuri took a huge step over his massive tail, careful not to trip over it. He placed his baskets to the floor and then reached forward, his two hands stroking the massive expanse of the creature’s stomach.

“Ohhh, Vikuturo!!” he cooed.

The poodlebear opened one large brown eye and then yawned, his tail beginning to wag at the attention, swishing the long grass.

“Sorry, my friend, but we have to do our weekly deliveries,” Yuuri explained. Vichan looked less than impressed and then rolled over. Yuuri took a step back as he gave him space to stretch and wake up. “Good boy, thank you!” he praised.

Vichan kneeled down low enough that Yuuri could grab his leather harness from the fence and connect it properly so he could carry all the goods. It was one of his own design and though it wasn’t perfect, it worked well. There was a seat for Yuuri similar to that of a horse’s, and then large leather bags on each side of him, big enough to hold all the supplies that they would need. He attached a lamp to his giant collar on the off chance they were delayed and they might have to navigate in the dark. Yuuri never planned this, but he was easily excited if he stumbled across something on his travels, like an old relic that had been unearthed or some rare materials. The lamp was filled with fire daisies which he grew in his fire hot spring. They would burn bright as soon as the sun disappeared.

Yuuri grabbed his traveling boots, his waterproof coat, and then his staff. He wouldn’t need it as he only used it to brew his potions, but it was strong enough to give a wild animal a good whack and scare them off if it attacked him.

He climbed onto Vichan using the small rope ladder he used to reach his harness and then stood up, his soft leather shoes balancing on his back as he reached high up in the tree for some apples. He poked them with his staff and was thrilled when a few dropped. He managed to catch 2 and then Vichan ate the others that had fallen into the grass. It would make for a nice snack for them.

Yuuri looked towards the sky again, standing on the giant poodlebear's head as he looked down into the valley and he tried to figure the sun again. "We might have time to get some fish, boy," he said. 

Vichan yipped happily and then bent down slowly, bringing Yuuri low to the ground and letting his master step back to the floor to go and retrieve the fishing gear they would need. Then finally, he grabbed his book full of orders, and together, the two of them made their way towards the town.

It was a nice walk, and though it would be quicker for Yuuri to ride Vichan, he enjoyed the exercise. The only time he traveled was to collect the things that he couldn't make, but after several years of learning to manipulate his cauldron, there wasn't much that Yuuri couldn't do for himself. This meant that his weekly deliveries were his only chance of stretching his legs.

Yuuri liked to take in his surroundings as he traveled, noting how the plants and trees were growing and any signs of wildlife. He respected the animals in the nearby forest, and in return, they respected him. He had made friends with a colony of fruit hamsters and not to forget, the local puni. They were adorable little creatures, almost completely round with big dark eyes and smiles, their adorable cheeks pink. They could be hostile but he had been bribing them not to attack him so they always rolled over to Yuuri to say hello when they could sense he was near and that was exactly what happened as he crossed the fallen tree to get across a small river. Vichan had already jumped across and was being surrounded by the little balls of cuteness that looked like little spots of green, blue and yellow.

He balanced across the fallen tree which was a makeshift bridge, careful not to slip in his excitement to say hello to his little friends. As soon as he was on the other side, he was swarmed. He laughed as he greeted them.

“Hello, my friends! Yes, yes, I didn’t forget my treats for you too!” he told them, grinning as he reached into one of the bags on the side of Vichan to retrieve the snacks he had made for them. “Here you go!”

He tossed the tiny jam-filled stars onto the floor until they were all gone and then brushed his hands together to get rid of the crumbs. He then reached down to pet a couple of them that he recognized - a purple Puni King which wore a cute gold crown, and a smaller than normal pink one that liked to bounce higher than Yuuri was tall.

“I’m sorry guys, but I have work to do. I’ll see you another day, okay?” He waved goodbye to them and then made his way into town.

Hatsetsu was a small fishing village on the coast and as Yuuri walked closer to the town from the outskirts where he lived, he could smell the salt in the air from the sea and feel the chill of the sea air. He pulled his cloak a little tighter around him as the wind picked up and he quickened his pace a little, making his way towards the little town in the distance.

He pulled his workbook from his satchel and glanced down at his orders. He would first go to the town square and then make his way to the pier. That way he wouldn’t have to double back on himself and he would have a chance to get some yummy fish for a broth tonight. It wasn’t quite his momma’s cooking, but it was a tasty and simple recipe that both himself and Vichan enjoyed.

Yuuri retrieved some of the samples of his healing potions as his presence caught the attention of the village folk who were out doing their business in the square. He waved to them as he made his way towards the large water fountain at the centre.

“Yuuri! Yuuri!” came the excited cry of the children who had been playing as they suddenly ran towards him, excited to see Vichan.

“Hello, everyone,” he greeted with a kind smile as he was surrounded by loud, excited children.

“You brought Vichan!” a girl exclaimed, petting one of his large paws, and Yuuri couldn’t help but find it adorable since his paw was almost as large as her.

“Of course, he told me that he missed you all very much,” he told her before handing each of the children a vial of the potion. “You take these straight home to your parents, ok?” he told him and they all nodded obediently.

“Do you have any treats, Yuuri?” a boy asked hopefully, bouncing on the spot in excitement.

“Yes, please, Yuuri. Do you have some treats for us?”

“Please? Please?” they begged.

Yuuri couldn’t resist. Of course, he had prepared for this and collected some apple pastries that he had made the night before from out of one of the large baskets on Vichan. Immediately, there were cheers of excitement as he began to hand them around. For a small moment, he worried that he might not have enough for them all as there were almost 10 children surrounding him this week.

_ One more than last week _ , he thought to himself.

He handed the pastry to the newcomer: a shy little girl. She couldn’t have been more than six years old. She was a small thing and it was obvious that she was hungry. It was then that Yuuri noticed a mother sitting at the fountain and watching her discreetly. She looked away, her face red in embarrassment. It did nothing but make Yuuri wonder why he hadn’t seen her before.

Thinking, he returned to Vichan and collected some of his pots of samples, some spare produce and a loaf of bread. He wrapped it all in a cloth package and then walked towards her with a big smile, leaving the children to fuss over Vichan.

“Hello,” he greeted, catching her attention in a way that he could not be ignored.

She looked up and straightened her long dress, fidgeting. “Hello,” she said, looking a little alarmed at Yuuri being so straightforward. It was clear she hadn’t expected him to come over. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said, gesturing towards her daughter as she ate her treat, “Ms. Ibis said you came weekly and treated the children. I didn’t want her to be left out,” she explained, the words coming out all of a rush.

“Of course I don’t mind,” Yuuri assured her and then handed her the large bundle of food and medicine. “Any friend of Pamela’s is a friend of mine! She’s one of my best customers!” He beamed at her.

Pamela had been such a good friend to him since he’d been living without his parents. The lady owned a local store and he provided her with a few items to sell. But not only that, she had been the kindest and most understanding person.

“Oh…” The lady looked down at the parcel and hesitated, clearly desperate to grab it but her pride getting in the way. “I couldn’t…”

“Of course you can, I give this package to all potential new customers,” he lied smoothly. “Try it, and next time I hope to see you again. But if you need anything before then, I live just over the hill, an hour walk along the outskirts of the forest. I’m an apothecary. My name is Katsuki Yuuri.”

She took it, still looking a little unsure, as if she expected Yuuri to suddenly snatch it back away from her. “Thank you,” she told him sincerely.

“If you need anything, you can always ask Pamela if you can’t get to me. She visits me often so you can pass a message along if it’s urgent.”

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to do that,” she replied.

He waved goodbye and then called Vichan, ready to do his rounds.

***

“Wow, we sold more than I expected today, Vichan,” Yuuri told him as he took stock of what was left. There wasn’t much. It had been a very successful trip and he had a modest pile of coins in his money pouch and his own basketful of things he had acquired. He would put the Cole with the rest of his savings.

It wasn’t dark yet, so Yuuri made his way down to the beach and walked along the sand, for a moment staring out at the calm sea and wondering where the next island was from here and if he could ever get there. He doubted it, he could need a boat and there was no way he knew how to build one. The town used to have a shipwright when he was a boy but he had long passed, and now the only boats they had were fishing boats and it would be selfish to take one of them to merely explore when the town relied so heavily on the fishermen’s hard work.

After walking for a while, he spotted the familiar cove that he and Vichan liked to travel to. It was a little difficult to climb down to the specific place he wanted, but it was possible with a little concentration and it was more than worth it since the fish that lived there had some wonderful magical properties.

Vichan was too big to go with him, so he collected his fishing rod, and all the things he would need and loaded into the satchel on his back.

He climbed down the rock, his staff clenched in his hand as it had saved him from falling in the past. He was busy reaching blindly with his foot for a foothold that he knew was there by memory when Yuuri could sight of something in the corner of his eye. He frowned, stilling for a moment. He dug his staff into a gap in the rocks and tested standing on it. It was secure. He pulled himself fully up and his eyes went wide.

“Hello!?” he called urgently, because there below him, unreachable from where he was, was a person lying facedown on the rocks, the water lapping at their body with each wave. It was clear that whoever this mystery person was, was unconscious, and very unlikely to be able to help themselves.

“Oh, no. Oh, no. What do I do?” Yuuri immediately began to panic.

He looked towards the sun which was lower than the time he had last checked. He wouldn’t have too much sunlight left… and there was no way he would have time to run back to the town and get help from the townsfolk even if he was to ride on Vichan.

_ I’m going to have to get down there by myself… _ But as Yuuri weighed his options, there was no way for him to do that safely and then manage to get back up by himself.  _ I’m going to have to improvise. _

With his teeth between his tongue in concentration, he pulled his fishing rod from his back and then inspected it before he rummaged through his tackle box for a large enough hook. He located the largest one and tied it expertly to his line, knotting it so there was no way that it could come free. He could only hope that the line would not snap, though he was sure he had caught bigger fish than the person who lay underneath him.

One foot balancing one rock and another on a different rock, Yuuri proceeded to wrap the line around his staff which he jammed into the rocks above his head, creating a very basic pulley system. Slowly, he began to lower the fishing line in a hope that he could somehow catch it on the person’s clothes and pull them up. Yuuri could hardly believe his luck when he managed to slip it under the person’s leather belt.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Yuuri began to reel in the line in disbelief that his plan was actually working. The person was pulled from the water slowly and began to raise from danger. Yuuri tried the line around the staff, stopping it from slipping. He was grateful for it to take the strain from his shoulders and back.

It was then as the person hung there that Yuuri came face to face with the most beautiful person that he had ever seen in his short life. The man caught on his fishing line was dressed most peculiarly, wearing black leather and his clothes decorated in pretty blue feathers that Yuuri had never seen before in his life. They were huge, almost as long as his arm and it was then that Yuuri noticed what the man had been clutching in his hands. A large, intricate golden alchemy staff.

Yuuri’s mouth dropped open in surprise and he reached to see if the man was breathing, hesitantly cupping his face. His skin was like ice.

“Hello?” he asked him softly, “Please be breathing… Please be breathing…”

He reached for the man’s staff, trying to take it from his hands, but as soon as he touched it, he felt something shift deep inside of him. Both sets of hands gripped the staff as Yuuri felt something click in his mind and open inside his heart. He was unable to tear his hands away, unable to break the contact between them. Momentarily, his breath was stolen as the man’s eyes fluttered open and he stared into soft blue eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/victuriusplisetskytrash) :) <3


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